The Great (Local) Outdoors: Part II

Continued from The Great (Local) Outdoors.

WATER

WHERE TO RENT A ROWBOAT/PADDLEBOAT

Loeb Boathouse | Central Park | Manhattan

This
22-acre lake offers beautiful views of Bethesda Terrace and Bow Bridge and
allows you four wooden boat landings from which to disembark and explore. It
you’re feeling a bit too lazy to man your own oars, take a ride in an authentic
Venetian gondola or rent a model sailboat on the Conservatory Water. centralparknyc.org

Meadow Lake | Flushing Meadows-Corona Park | Queens

Created
for the 1939-40 World’s Fair, the 93-acre Meadow Lake is New York City’s
largest. Mark your calendar for The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival August 4-5. nycgovparks.org

Lake Club | Clove Lakes Park | Staten Island

This
5-acre lake features a stone footbridge and offers an ideal vantage point for
spotting Canadian geese and ducks. nycgovparks.org

COOLEST CANOE PROGRAMS

The Urban Park Rangers Canoe Program

Kids
ages eight and older can take basic, intermediate and advanced-level courses on
lakes, as well as the more challenging open waters of rivers and bays
throughout the city including Crotona Park in the Bronx, Marine Park in
Brooklyn and Willowbrook Park in Staten Island. Registration is required and
participants are chosen through a lottery. nycgovparks.org

Bronx River Alliance | Bronx

The
Alliance, in conjunction with the New York City Department of Parks and
Recreation, offers both public and private canoe tours along the eight miles of
the 23-mile Bronx River that are actually within the Bronx. bronxriver.org

THE FINEST FRESHWATER FISHING

There
is an abundance of spots in the city where you and the kids can reel in
anything from catfish to perch to largemouth bass. Just remember that all
fishing is catch-and-release only and that adults (but not kids) must obtain
necessary state fishing licenses (except June 23-24, which are designated “Free
Fishing Days” in New York State). Here’s where you can reel one in. dec.ny.gov

Van Cortlandt Lake | Van Cortlandt Park | Bronx

Prospect Lake | Prospect Park | Brooklyn

Harlem Meer | Central Park | Manhattan

Kissena Lake | Kissena Park | Queens

Wolfe’s Pond | Wolfe’s Pond Park | Staten Island

BEST CRABBING

Crabbing
is permitted pretty much anywhere except in the city’s parks. All you need is
fishing line or string with a weight and bait attached. And unlike with regular
angling, you get to keep and eat your findings, if you dare! (Visit
health.ny.gov for advice on eating what you catch.) Here are some of the best
crab hangouts around:

Under the City Island Bridge| Bronx

Canarsie Pier | Brooklyn

Various locations along the Hudson and East Rivers | Manhattan

Pier 4 | Gantry Plaza State Park | Queens

Lemon Creek Pier | Lemon Creek Park | Staten Island

Jennifer
Lehner used to practice law in Maryland. Now she practices parenting and
writing in New York City, where she lives with her husband and three children,
ages three, five and seven. 

By Meghan Gearino

Camp Safe
is a great go-to for everything under the sun (and stars) regarding safety. From
obvious tips like making sure your family’s First Aid kit is completely re-stocked
from last summer’s excursion, Camp Safe also recommends not-so obvious tidbits
like the benefits of walking sticks while hiking through the woods. Did you
know they can be great for checking for uneasy footing or holes along the way? campsafe.org 

It’s no surprise that the Greater New York Region Red Cross also gets in on the camping safety action. Their advice? To always pack emergency signaling devices and map out the nearest ranger station to your campsite. The Red Cross also suggests leaving an itinerary with a trusted person at home while you are gone (we all remember what happened in 127 Hours)—include your vehicle info, location of campsite and when your family should be returning.nyredcross.org 

KOA has over 400 wonderful campgrounds and RV sites all across the country! They also provide an extensive safety checklist for any medical issue you and the kids may come across during your adventures. Be sure to check their website before pitchin’ that tent to find out what to do for spider bites, poison ivy, heatstroke and tick bites. familycamping.koa.com

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation is a great tool to use when camping upstate at places like the Adirondacks or the Catskills. For all-things campfire, the DEC recommends using the existing rings that are provided at most state parks. When it is time to put the fire out, be sure to drown the fire with water and make sure all embers, sticks and coals are wet. You may even need to move around rocks and look underneath. dec.ny.gov